Carriage-spring



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. M. SOULE.

. CARRIAGE SPRING.

No. 400,134. Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

E i3 0 u l2 9 J0 of I" I 25 \m lzymsszs, [MEN (No ModeL) 2 Sheets--Sheet2.

B. M. SOULEP CARRIAGE SPRING.

Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

WITNESSES, l/V'VEJVI'OZ? NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BUREN M. SOULE, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOlVA.

CARRIAGE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,134, dated March26, 1889.

Application filed July 30, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BUREN M. SoULE, ma zen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State ofIowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriages andWagons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to springs and body-supports forroad-vehicles; and the object is to provide improved body-supports andsprings to the running-gear of road-vehicles, whereby the body will besupported with or without the springs and at the same time inassociation with the springs, there will be imparted to the body animproved resiliency.

\Vith this object in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction of parts and their combination, as hereinafter specified,and specially as the same is particularly pointed out and distinctlyclaimed, as required by statute.

I have fully illustrated my improvements in the accompanying drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the side supports and springs.Fig. 2 is a view of one of the springs detached. Fig. 3 is a view of thenaked supports. Fig. 4 is a view of the supports and springs with a bodymounted thereon, and Fig. 5 shows the supports having but one spring.

Reference being had to the drawings, A designates the side bars of therunning-gear connected at the ends by the cross-bars or springs B.

O designates the body-frame of the vehicle, having secured across it thecross-pieces 1, 2, 3, and 4. On these cross-pieces are secured bearings5, in which are diposed my improved supporting-rods D. These supportingrods or bars are of such substantialness as to serve the purposes towhich they are put without breaking or bending out of shape. Theyconsist of two metal bars bent at the middle into loop forms (3 7, andhaving both ends bent outward, as at S, and provided with shackles orclips 9, to attach them to the side bars of the running-gear. The loopforms are projected inward under the body of the vehicle and are linkedtogether, one within the other, as shown at 10, and in this connectionare given a proper play to permit the springs to Serial No. 281,374. onmodel.)

have the proper resiliency. The bars are mounted in the bearings 5 andsecured thereon by suitable bearing-caps. It will be observed from thearrangement of these supporting-bars that although the vehicle shouldbecome entirely deprived of its springs the body would ride level andwith convenience and safety to the occupants.

E designates the springs. These consist of substantial steel rods formedwith spirals 11, connected by a loop or bail, 12, and projecting ends13. These spirals are mounted on a rod, 14, having its ends in bearingsin the cross-pieces of the body-frame to give them stability, and theloop of the spring is arranged with the end to bear upon the loop of thesupporting-rods, and the ends of the springs are anchored on thecross-pieces, as at 15. This gives the springs a torsional function, sothat when a weight is imposed on the body of the vehicle the tendency ofthe supports to lower the body by turning in their bearings isrestrained by the force of the springs on the loops of the supports anda decided and positive resiliency imparted to the body.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, one spring may serve the purpose;but to preserve the uniformity of tension, increase the durability, andmake a more sightly association of elements two springs are generallyused.

It will be perceived that the body is supported equally at all points,so as to maintain a true horizontality, and that all the movements arein substantially a vertical plane. The supporting-rods areoperative.independently of the springs-that is, they will serve thepurpose of supports without the application of the springs.

lVhile I have shown and described the supports and springs arranged onthe sides of the body, it is apparent that they may be applied withequal adaptability to the ends of the body.

That I claim is-- 1. The combination, with the side bars and body of aroad-vehicle, of the supportingrods 1), arranged parallel with eachother and formed with loop forms or bails, which are linked together onewithin the other and having the ends shackled to the bars of therunhing-gear, substantially as shown and de scribed.

2. The combination, with the supporting rails or bars and body of aroad-vehicle, of supporting-rods mounted in bearings on the body andformed at their middle with bails or loops linked together one withinthe other, and the ends oi the bars shackled to the bars of thebody-frame, and a spring, E, mounted on the bottom of the l imly-fralneand formed to heal-With its force on the interlinkcdloops ofsupporting-rods, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the supporting rails or bars and the body of aroad-vehicle, of snpporting-bars mounted in lgiearings on the bottom ofthe body and formed Withloops linked together one Within the other, andhaving the ends of the bars shackled t supports, and springs E, mountedon the bottom of the body-frame and adapted to bear with their force onthe interlinked loops of the supportin g-bars, substantially asdescribed.

4-. The combination, with the sin porting rails or bars and the body ofa road-vehicle,

of sup mrting-bars A, mounted in bearings on the bottom of the body andformed with loops at their middle, said loops beinglinked.

together one within the other, and having the ends of the bars shackledto supports on the running-gear of the vehicle, and springs E, mountedon the bottom of the body, said. springs consisting of spiralsconnectedby a loop, arranged to bear on the interlinked loops of thesupporting-bars, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a road-vehicle, the combination of parallel body-supporting bars,formed at their middle portions With loops linked one within the otherand their free ends adapted to be connected to supports, and springsformed with loops to set over the loops of the supporting-bars to imparta resilient movement to the bars, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoattesting witnesses.

HUREN M. SOULE.

A ttest 'I. N. \VI-IITTAIVI, 'II. S. JOHSELYN.

